Conference statement

The World Council of Churches (WCC ) has expressed deep concern over the issue of respect for the rights of Orthodox believers in Kosovo and also the FYR Macedonia. During the General Assembly the Council issued a public Statement about the politicization of religion and the rights of religious minorities, stating:

"The Government of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia categorically denied the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric the right to register as a religious community. The government’s involvement in the legal system of the country resulted in the unlawful confinement of the head of this Church. Lately, Kosovo has been faced with the systematic destruction of over 100 Orthodox Christian holy shrines, as well as reviewing the history in terms of their cultural background, which endangers the existence of the Orthodox Serbs."

WCC urged governments of all countries to strengthen mechanisms that would ensure the survival and protection of the rights of religious minorities. Furthermore, states are encouraged to implement anti-discrimination laws to protect individuals and communities who are persecuted for professing their faith.

The Conference of European Churches, which from 3rd to 8th July held its 14th General Assembly in Budapest, at the end of its work issued an announcement in regard to the arresting and the imprisonment of His Beatitude Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje, by the authorities of R. Macedonia.

The announcement states:

The Assembly of CEC has learned with great concern about the arrest and detention of Archbishop Jovan in R. Macedonia. It is believed that his detention is a result of him exercising his human right of religious freedom. Reaffirming that freedom of religion and belief is a fundamental right guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human rights and the European Convention on Human Rights to which R. Macedonia is a party.

14th General Assembly of the Conference of European Churches, Budapest, 3-8 July 2013.

14th General Assembly of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) started its work in Budapest on 3 July 2013. On this Assembly are present 470 participants of which 220 are delegates with the right to vote and who represent 120 registered Churches and religious communities: Orthodox, Anglicans, Protestants and Old-Catholic. Roman Catholic Church is not an official member of CEC, but actively participate in the work of CEC through the Council of the Bishop’s Conference of Europe.

With the blessing of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church Their Graces Bishops Teodosije of Raska-Prizren and Andrej of Remesiana, Vicar Bishop to the Serbian Patriarch, participated from May 24-26 2013 in the work of the interreligious conference in Pec. This international conference that summoned more than 150 eminent officials from the region and the world, was held under auspices of the embassies of Great Britain and Norway in Pristina, the Tony Blair Foundation with the support of local institutions.

May 25, 2013 in Belgrade, the rector of the Kiev Theological Academy and Seminary, metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and dean of the Orthodox Theological Faculty of the University of Belgrade, archpriest Predrag Puzovich signed an agreement on cooperation between the two theological schools. At the same time it was also signed an agreement on cooperation between the Orthodox Theological Faculty of the University of Belgrade and the St. Petersburg Theological Academy.

Philanthropy, The Charitable Foundation of the Serbian Orthodox Church organized a conference “Social Protection in Rural Areas – Possibilities and Challenges” on 13 December 2012, the day of Saint Andrew the First called Apostle. The Conference was organized in the St. Sava Hall in Nis, with the blessing of His Grace Bishop Jovan of Nis. The conference was attended by number of prominent participants, representatives of local authorities and social welfare institutions from whole Serbia, as well as respective representatives of civil society active in the area of providing social services to the most vulnerable rural population.